Winston Churchill, Legends of King Arthur, and Fun with Gilbert and Sullivan

Program Number:

20978RJ

Start
and End Dates:

3/23/2014 - 3/28/2014;

Duration:

5 nights

Location:

Montreat, North Carolina

Price starting at:

$568.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city

Program Type:

Multi-Topic

Meals:

15;
5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners

Meal
Options:

Low Fat; Low Salt; Vegetarian; Gluten Free

Activity Particulars

All facilities are in one building, with approximately 300 yards walking required; a few stairs. Outside areas are mountainous, with inclines and uneven terrain.

Opportunities are available for traveling companions to attend a different program at Montreat during the same week. Click here to see a list of all programs at Montreat.

Coordinated by Montreat Conference Center.

Winston Churchill: Greatest Leader of the 20th Century

Sir Winston Churchill – distinguished British statesman, soldier and author – served as First Lord of the Admiralty in World War 1 and Prime Minister during Britain’s darkest hours in World War II. Throughout his career, his leadership inspired the nation. He was a successful politician and statesman, a military innovator with an intimate understanding of war and a successful author who won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Sesssion taught by Bert Lockwood.

Legends of King Arthur

Trace literary epics from Sir Geoffrey of Monmouth’s battle records to Chretien de Troyes' French romances, Malory’s "Le Morte d’Arthur," and the prose of T.H. White’s "The Once and Future King." Learn about the many layers of Arthurian ideals.

Fun with Gilbert and Sullivan

Experience the delight of the comic operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan as we focus on the big three: “H. M. S. Pinafore,” “The Pirates of Penzance,” and “The Mikado." Delve into the stories, satirical lyrics and marvelous musical harmonies with piano performances and explore the connections between Gilbert and Sullivan’s theatrical devices and 20th-century American musicals using video excerpts.

Montreat

Originally founded as a spiritual retreat center, Montreat, nestled on Lake Susan at the foot of Graybeard Mountain, continues to be a peaceful destination for those seeking respite. Footpaths weave through the 4,000 acres of surrounding woodlands and the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains offer other recreational opportunities.

Accommodations
Beautiful conference center overlooking small lake in the center of Montreat. Spacious lounges, classrooms, fireplace and dining facilities in same building.

Meals and Lodgings

Assembly Inn, Montreat Conference Center

Montreat, NC

5 nights

Assembly Inn, Montreat Conference Center

Type:

Conference Center

Description:

Originally completed in 1929, the 101 room Assembly Inn is undergoing a major renovation. New windows have been installed throughout the building, as well as an upgraded heating and air-conditioning system. By May 2014, all guest rooms and public areas will be refurbished with new furniture, carpet, paint, art, lighting and bedding. This stately hotel is a beautiful stone building, overlooking a small lake. It has a beautiful, spacious lobby with a fireplace and comfortable furniture for fellowship, puzzles and games, or just relaxing. The building was made from native stone that sparkles with mica. The dining room is in the same building as our housing and meeting facilities, and an elevator serves all floors (except for 7 steps going into one main meeting area). Of Montreat's 4,000 acres, 2,500 acres are dedicated to wilderness and are entered in the NC Registry of National Heritage Areas, and we have more than a dozen maintained hiking trails. Tennis courts also available. We will have board and card games in the lobby for your enjoyment, but if you have a favorite, please feel free to bring it along. An outdoor pool is located on the grounds, but it not open during our Road Scholar programs (only open June 1 - first week in August). However, a lovely fitness center (Cheshire Fitness) is located just a few miles away, and they offer daily or weekly rates for visitors. There are no TVs or phones in the individual housing rooms, but there is a TV in the main lobby, and guests can be reached by leaving a message at the front desk (staffed 24 hours a day). If it is urgent, the front desk staff will contact the coordinator who will deliver the message in person, otherwise a note will be left on the guest's housing door. A quiet reading room is also available, located near the main lobby of the Assembly Inn.

All housing accommodations will be in the Assembly Inn. All rooms have private baths. The bathrooms have a tub/shower unit. Most double occupancy rooms have two beds (a double bed and a single). Single occupancy rooms have one double bed. The bedrooms also have a desk, a clock, radio, Kleenex, closets and lamps, as well as a sink and counter and a large mirror. It would be helpful to bring an umbrella, a flashlight, and individual make-up mirror, if desired. Blankets, sheets, pillows, (beds are made), bath mat and a towel set will be provided (rooms are served by our housekeeping staff and clean towels are available daily). Each housing and meeting area has an individual heating and air-conditioning unit. Snack and cold drink vending machines are located on the ground floor, and ice machines are on the second and third floors. Wireless Internet access (with personal laptop) in all areas of the Assembly Inn. Computer in main lobby for access to email and Internet. Courtesy phones are located on each floor.

Smoking allowed:

No

Elevators available:

Yes

Additional nights prior:

call for price/availability. Rooms are not typically available, due to retreats. Participants may call to check availability. If no rooms are available, the coordinator will assist them in finding a hotel nearby.

Check in time:

3:00 PM

Additional nights after:

call for price/availability. Rooms are not typically available, due to retreats. Participants may call to check availability. If no rooms are available, the coordinator will assist them in finding a hotel nearby.

The Road Scholar coordinator suggests/recommends to you
Grandyco Car Service 828-273-3214
and is happy to coordinate transportation for guests coming in to the Asheville airport, so price is less.
Other options (visit www.flyavl.com for more)
Marvels Transport 828-280-1698
A Red Cab 828-232-1112
Areawide Transportation 828-713-4710
Beaver Lake Cab 828-252-1913
Checker Cab 828-254-1155

Asheville, NC

From Bus Terminal

Service:

Per Person/One Way:

variesPrices are subject to change.

Travel Time:

20 minutes

Distance:

18 miles

arrange for transport with Road Scholar coordinator at Montreat; she will coordinate times with other participants.

Driving
Directions

From All Points - to Interstate 40

Come to Western North Carolina via Interstate 40; use exit 64 for Black Mountain/Montreat/Route 9 (15 miles east of Asheville, NC). At the exit, turn north on Route 9 (go through one traffic light, across a railroad track and another traffic light, and up the hill to the traffic light). Go straight across where Route 9 becomes Montreat Road, and travel approximately two miles to the Montreat entrance (stone gate). From the gate, continue approximatley 1 1/2 miles to the middle of the conference center. The Assembly Inn is on the hill on the left, across from Lake Susan. Pull up to the front door of the Inn to unload, and then park your car in marked spaces along the lake or the Inn. Please note: do not trust a map or GPS that tries to bring you in on Route 9 (except for the last few miles) instead of Interstate 40 (unless you desire to travel along very sharp curves, up and down mountains). Also, do not take Flat Creek Road... come up Montreat Road (Route 9 North).

Elevation Note: Participants may wish to hike on their own in surrounding mountains, which peak elev. exceed 5,400.

The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Daily Schedule

Day 1:

Orientation(Sunday, March 23)

Afternoon:

Arrival at the Assembly Inn, check in between 4 - 5:30 PM. Pull up to the Assembly Inn porch to unload, then park your vehicle in any designated spot close by the Inn or by the lake.

Dinner:

Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room. A relaxing break after your travel day! All our meals are served buffet style, so grab your plate and utensils and settle in for some comfort food. A choice of two entrées (or have both), good for you vegetables, a complete salad bar, bread and, of course, some yummy desserts. Tea (sweet and unsweet), coffee, milk, and water available.

Evening:

Our opening program/orientation will be at 7 p.m., usually in Convocation Hall in the Assembly Inn. We will spend some time learning a little about Montreat, meeting your instructors, going over the schedule, and answering questions. We know you're tired from your travels, so we'll wrap up around 8 p.m. with some "getting to know each other" activities. Refreshmentments and fellowship follow in the lobby, or retire to your room for rest.

During our first morning class, we will begin with the Legends of King Arthur, with Bobbie Pell. "The Rise of the King." Literary Influences from Warrior to Epic Hero and "The Hero's Quest," (Joseph Campbell)
We will have a mid-morning refreshment break and then return to class for the lecture and discussion about Gilbert and Sullivan, with Pat Heuermann. In the first class, Pat will set the stage by a discussion of turn-of-the-century London when the operettas were first created and the lives of Gilbert and Sullivan prior to their working together. She will then do a power point presentation of excerpts showing the various types of characters in each work – for instance, the pompous, self important baritone (as in the “modern major-general”) or the contralto nursemaid who switched the babies long ago (Little Buttercup). She will probably include an excerpt of Joel Grey as Jack Point, the jester in “Yeoman of the Guard”, as this is probably the only tragic role that they wrote.

Lunch:

Lunch is served from 12:30 - 1:30 in the Assembly Inn Dining Room.

Afternoon:

The afternoon course begins the discussion of Winston Churchill, with Bert Lockwood. We will cover Churchill's family background, his early years, and his military service.
After class, there will be an opportunity for a Walk Around Montreat (guided tour of grounds)
or free time.

Dinner:

Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room

Evening:

Evening program, from 7:00 to 8:00 games/cards and tv available in the lobby for fellowship. Perhaps a movie on a big screen, if the group is interested.

Another yummy breakfast, served from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room. Get your morning off to a good start! It's the most important meal of the day!

Morning:

During our first morning class, we will continue with the Legends of King Arthur, with Bobbie Pell. "The Women of King Arthur's Day"
Morgan le Fey (half sister)
Igraine (Mother)
Arthur Bridging two Religions: The Goddess versus Mary (Paganism in dawn of Christianity).
We will have a mid-morning refreshment break and then return to class for the lecture and discussion about Gilbert and Sullivan, with Pat Heuermann. Following the presentation/discussion style we had yesterday, today we'll look at "HMS Pinafore."

Lunch:

Lunch is served from 12:30 - 1:30 in the Assembly Inn Dining Room. Ready for something out of the ordinary? Today's menu is "Taco Tuesday." Build your own taco, taco salad, or whatever creative combination of Mexican fare you choose. Chips, melted cheese, and salsa (along with jalapeños if you so desire) top it all off. A complete salad bar is available as well. And don't forget to leave room for some cobbler and ice cream!

Afternoon:

Afternoon course explores more about Winston Churchill, with Bert Lockwood. We'll start out with Churchill in WWI, and move on to First Lord of Admiralty. From there, Dardenelles, German Rearmament, and finish up with
Abdication of Edward and the Munich Conference.
3:30 Optional hike in the mountains
Free Time

Dinner:

Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room

Evening:

7:00 - 8:00 evening program:
Evening programs are typically a fun event -- a dance, a concert, or a storyteller games/cards/tv available in lobby for fellowship and optional movie on big screen.

King Arthur Class, Gilbert and Sullivan Class, Afternoon Free Time, and Winston Churchill Class(Wednesday, March 26)

Breakfast:

Breakfast, 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room. Do you like sausage links or patties?

Morning:

During our first morning class, we will begin with the Legends of King Arthur, with Bobbie Pell. Our Theme today: Medieval Romances and Chivalry
Chivalry and Quest for the Holy Grail..... Lais of Marie de France .....Chretien de Troyes French influences on Arthurian tales ... Alfred Lord Tennyson’s “Lady of Shalott.”
We will have a mid-morning refreshment break and then return to class for the lecture and discussion about Gilbert and Sullivan. Today, we explore "Pirates of Penzance."

Lunch:

Lunch is served from 12:30 - 1:30 in the Assembly Inn Dining Room

Afternoon:

Free time to explore the area! We'll have directions and suggestions of wonderful places to visit. Here without a car? If you haven't made a friend to hang out with for the afternoon, we'll help you get where you'd like to go.

Dinner:

Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room

Evening:

Class time again (you did have the afternoon off, you know!) Our evening course focuses on Winston Churchill, with Bert Lockwood. We'll start out with Dunkirk, then Rallying a Nation, Wartime PM,
his relations With FDR, and General Montgomery.

King Arthur Class, Gilbert and Sullivan Class, and Winston Churchill Class(Thursday, March 27)

Breakfast:

Breakfast, 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room

Morning:

During our first morning class, we continue our exploration of the Legends of King Arthur, with Bobbie Pell. Today, we'll be diving into Ideals of Courtly Love. We'll examine precepts of Medieval Courtships, and the "Marriage of Sir Gawain." Then, we'll examine Balladry usage of Riddles and Tasks in Love Relationships.
We will have a mid-morning refreshment break and then return to class for the lecture and discussion about Gilbert and Sullivan, with Pat Heuermann. Today, we'll be talking about the film “Topsy Turvy” which deals with their collaboration in detail. It is somewhat dark, but it is a fascinating film.

Lunch:

Lunch is served from 12:30 - 1:30 in the Assembly Inn Dining Room

Afternoon:

Our afternoon class will finish up our discussion on Winston Churchill, with Bert Lockwood.
We'll be covering D-Day ...
Dresden Bombing ... V-E Day ... Potsdam, and discuss Churchill's legacy. We'll finish up with a summary of the week.
3:30 - 5:30 is free time

Dinner:

Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room

During our first morning class, we will finish up our course on the Legends of King Arthur, with Bobbie Pell. "Merlin: The Magic Behind the Man." ... legends begetting a myth ... use of magic and enchantment in Arthurian tales ... contemporary uses of medieval themes.
We will have our mid-morning refreshment break and opportunity to check out of your room (checkout required by 11 AM) and then we will return to class for the lecture and last discussion on the Gilbert and Sullivan, with Pat Heuermann. We will finish up the series with the delightful work, "The Mikado."
Our closing program will be held 12:15-12:30 p.m., and we'll say our good-byes over lunch.

Lunch:

Lunch is served from 12:30 - 1:30 in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
(Box lunches will be available for those who cannot stay through lunch).

Meals
Included:

Breakfast, Lunch

Free Time Opportunities

Montreat, NC

Asheville Area Chamber of CommerceThe Asheville Chamber has specific information on Asheville and the surrounding area. Plenty of shops and places to visit! Enjoy a trolley tour of the city... For additional information, visit www.ashevillechamber.org

Biltmore Estate
George Vanderbilt's 255-room mansion built at the end of the 19th Century, with a magnificent art collection and gardens covering 35 acres. For additional information, visit www.biltmore.com

Black Mountain / Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce located in downtown Black Mountain.
Phone number 828 669-2300
Quaint small town with lots of unique shops to explore.
Several of these shops are "art" based -- with items the owners make.
Information on all area attractions! For additional information, visit www.exploreblackmountain.com

Black Mountain Golf Course
Boasts the world's longest fairway. Beautiful course with views of the mountains on all sides.

Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are part of the Appalachians -- and offer some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere. Hiking trails abound, both in Montreat and in the surrounding area with seasonal flora and fauna.

Carl Sandburg Home
A simple farmhouse and goat farm donated to the Park Service by Mrs. Sandburg after the famous author and poet's death. Video about the Sandburgs--his literary work--and hers in breeding goats. House kept as though they could come home any minute!

Cherokee Indian Village
The Oconaluftee Indian Village, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, and Unto These Hills outdoor play (seasonal).

Chimney Rock Park
Located in the Hickory Nut Gorge. Enjoy an elevator ride up 26 stores in a granite shaft to the chimney level. Gorgeous views from the top of the "chimney," and lots of hiking trails. Admission fee required. For additional information, visit chimneyrockpark.com

Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List

Churchill: A Life

Author: Martin Gilbert

Blood, Tears and Folly

Author: Len Deighton

Description: Churchill course

The Second Wold War

Author: John Keegan

Description: Churchill course

Le Morte D'Arthur

Author: Sir Thomas Malory

Description: King Arthur class

The Mists of Avalon

Author: Marion Zimmer Bradley

Description: (The Women of Camelot)

You can't find a better value than Road Scholar.

As a not-for-profit organization, we are dedicated to providing all-inclusive educational programs at great value. From lectures to gratuities to field trips to accommodations - the tuition you pay up front is all that you pay.

Specifically, this program includes:

5 nights accommodations

15 meals:
5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners

Expert-led lectures: 14

Expert-led lectures

Led by one or more of our world-class instructors, typically in a classroom setting, lectures come in the form of presentations, discussions or workshops and offer expert insight into your area of study.

Plus these special experiences...

The British Are Coming! Join us to look at some of the political, legendary heroic and musical influences of the British.